From the Forest of Othe to the Wood of Cézy

Head to the Parc du Chapeau in Joigny. It is a large, shaded park on the banks of the Yonne, right next to the only bridge. There is space to park all around it.

(S/E) Take the Quai de la Butte towards the bridge. At the junction, turning left is prohibited and can be dangerous. You must therefore dismount and use the pedestrian crossing. Then follow the Yonne on your left. At the traffic lights, take the street running alongside the Yonne to the end.

(1) This is where the outbound and return routes meet. Continue along the towpath on the right bank of the canal to the village of Villecien.

(2) At the access point to the Yonne, head up Rue du Port, cross the road and take the street going uphill opposite. On leaving the village, it turns into a path and runs between the cemetery (on the hillside) and a children’s playground. Continue along this path.

(3) At the end of the climb, join a wide white track and follow it to the right. At the end, turn left and continue to the large hunting lodge, Pavillon Gros.

(4) Turn left in front of the lodge and take a path that goes downhill. At the fork, take the left-hand branch and you will soon reach a wide track; follow this north-west by turning right. Walk down to the valley and head left. Gradually, the path becomes a road; enter Armeau, follow Rue du Val Saint-Quentin and reach the junction with Rue de l’Île de France (D606).

(5) Turn left then right onto Rue de l'Yonne and head towards the banks of the Yonne. Follow the towpath to the left, heading south, as far as Villevallier.

(6) Cross the bridge towards Saint-Julien-du-Sault.

(7) After crossing the railway bridge, take the road on the left, heading south. At the junction for the hamlet of Vauguillain, turn right and head towards it.

(8) First turn right then left, follow this street which climbs westwards and turns into a path ascending the left bank of a dry valley. On leaving the woods, turn left and follow this path to the road. Continue left along the road, cross Ruban and, after the bend on leaving Ruban, take the path on the left and follow the edge of the woods to the corner.

(9) Enter the woods opposite and, at the first fork, follow the track on the left. You will then begin a very long descent to a small road; take this to the right. Cross Thèmes, heading downhill. At the crossroads, turn left, then cross the D182 and go over the railway line. Then turn right towards Cézy. Go round or through Cézy to reach the junction of Rue de la Chapelle Saint-Esprit and Rue du Port d’en Haut.

(10) Follow the path along the edge of the woods, which further on joins the left bank of the Yonne. Pass a first iron bridge (closed).

(11) A little further on, cross a stream (Le Tholon) and then take the iron bridge spanning the Yonne. At the junction, continue to the right and rejoin the original route.

(1) Turn right to return to the car park via the route you started on (S/E).

Bring your own water (if necessary, you can top up your supplies in the cemeteries). You can take a break at the Pavillon Gros, a large hunting lodge, which is closed but has a covered courtyard where you can shelter.

(9) Above Vauguillain, you can see a chapel with a surrounding wall. It’s worth the detour, but it’s a bit of a climb to get there.

(10) In Cézy, you can visit the suspension bridge over the Yonne, which is a very fine piece of engineering.

And the whole town of Joigny is well worth a visit (a town of Arts and History).